The invention relates generally to ground working equipment, such as agricultural equipment, and more specifically, to an implement configured to determine a position of ground engaging tools by measuring fluid pressure within cylinders that control the position of the ground engaging tools.
Generally, seeding implements are towed behind a tractor or other work vehicle via a mounting bracket secured to a rigid frame of a planter or seeder. These seeding implements typically include one or more ground engaging tools or openers that form a seeding path for seed deposition into the soil. The openers are used to break the soil to enable seed deposition. After the seeds are deposited, each opener is followed by a packer wheel that packs the soil on top of the deposited seeds.
In certain configurations, the openers may be capable of transitioning between a working position and a non-working position. For example, after completion of a seed row, the openers may be transitioned to the non-working position in which the openers disengage the soil. Consequently, seeds will not be deposited within the soil as the implement is turned at a headland of a field, for example. Once the implement is aligned with the edge of a previously planted swath of soil, the openers may be transitioned to the working position in which the openers engage the soil.
As will be appreciated, it may be desirable to terminate a flow of product (e.g., seeds, fertilizer, etc.) to the openers while the openers are in the non-working position. In certain configurations, a farmer may manually engage and disengage the flow of product. Alternatively, an electronic work switch may be employed to automatically regulate the flow of product based on the position of the openers. For example, in certain configurations, the openers are coupled to an implement frame which rotates between the working and non-working positions. The electronic work switch may be coupled to the frame and configured to monitor the rotation to determine the position of the openers. For example, the electronic work switch may send a signal indicative of frame position to a controller configured to regulate the flow of product based on the signal. However, certain seeding implements include a fixed frame and openers configured to individually transition between the working and non-working positions. In such configurations, coupling an electronic work switch to each opener for position determination may be excessively complex and costly.